Lifesavers

For a country that's so well connected with technology, and has some of the most helpful people on the planet, it can sometimes be surprisingly hard to find out basic info for getting around Japan. Most of the time Google's next to useless for finding out anything other than the next immediate train. So here's a couple of tips I've picked up along the way, I'll try and keep adding things if I think of them later.

Trains and tickets

Japan's got one of the best rail networks on the planet. Seriously, whether you're in the city or the middle of nowhere the trains pull up to the platform almost to the second, without fail. But stations and buying tickets can take a bit of navigating. Ticket machines all switch to English but it's rare to find one where you can select your destination by name. What you're looking for is the big map which lists the fares moving out from the station you're at, it's usually above the ticket machines. If you're lucky the names'll be in English, in which case you just have to match up: if your destination town says '210', you need to buy the generic 210 Yen ticket from the machine. It can be handy to have a photo/memory of the kanji symbols of the town name you want on your phone as some stations don't have the English translations.

Jorudan - https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/

I'd never heard of this website before I got here, and it doesn't come up on Google if you search for 'Japan train planner' or something similar. But it's been my travel bible since I was told about it. It lists bus, train and (if possible) air journeys for your search showing what's fastest or cheapest, and you can also see reserved and unreserved prices. It's just super handy for finding options outside of the obvious, expensive Shinkansen, or if it's worth going what looks like an indirect route that might actually be quicker or cheaper. Hyperdia is also another website I've heard is handy.

Prices and options

All tickets for trains have two costs. Firstly the travel fee, then the reservation. Even if you have an 'unreserved' seat, the price breakdown will still include a reservation to travel. It's just the way things are named here. Also for almost every mid-long distance route there may be options for the Shinkansen (Bullet, expensive) and JR (local, cheap) trains. Even the JR trains sometimes have express and slow variations. Overall it's worth planning ahead, and don't assume that if you miss one train you can just hop on the next one with the same destination marked on the front.

Platforms

A nice touch - the platforms at each station usually have queue markers showing exactly where the doors will open, colour coded to the arrivals board if there's multiple options of local, express, etc. Good to know if you're hauling heavy bags, and we Brits do love an organised queue.

Buses

Inter-city buses are pretty well timetabled on something like Jorudan, but if you need to get a local bus then check the roadside bus stops signs when you get there. Each little district usually has its own timetable website that's worth bookmarking and yes, these rarely pop up on Google searches.

ATMs

Japan is still a very cash-heavy country. Bigger hotels and more upmarket shops usually take cards, but on the whole expect to need cash for bars, restaurants and smaller shops. The only reliable ATM I've found for my Natwest cards are the ones in 7-Elevens, thankfully these are everywhere. And don't worry about change - you can easily buy something for 100 Yen with a 10,000 note and the cashier won't bat an eyelid.

Wifi

I didn't invest in a local SIM for this trip which may come back to bite me, but most train stations have free wi-fi even at small, rural stations. Also most cities have a free network that you can hop onto just with an email registration - just look for 'Osaka Free Wifi', etc. Failing that a LOT of cafes have their own free networks. It might not be the fastest but it's enough for navigating or checking messages and means you don't necessarily have to hire a mobile wi-fi router to survive.

Visas

REALLY USEFUL TO KNOW! UK passport holders traveling on the standard 90-day temporary tourist visa can apply for an extension of an extra 90 days, no questions asked. You have to complete a form which the main visa office can email you and you'll need a 4cmx3cm passport photo, plus a 4000 Yen fee. That's it, just go to a regional immigration bureau in any city. It's not an arrangement many of the office staff know about, but keep persisting and eventually a manager will step in. Oh, you do have to have been in Japan for 45 of your first 90 days before you can apply.

Things being closed

Tourist sites sometimes close for renovations or holidays, and they rarely publicise this in advance. Also opening times often vary through the seasons. Always have a plan B.

Bar charges & etiquette

I think I mentioned once before but early on a bunch of us got stung for a hefty bar bill in a bar in Iwanai. Over 12,000 Yen, about £80, for six people to have a small beer and some complimentary (ha!) crisps. Apparently this was a "charm fee", or seating charge. Long story short it's very hard in smaller town Japan to stick your head into a bar and check out the vibe before you decide if you're staying or not, it's just not done. I'm not sure of the way around this, just don't expect to be doing too many pub crawls.

Shoes

Bring spares, even just a knackered pair of gym trainers. Your feet will thank you for it.

#travel #japan #Workaway #iwanai #hokkaido #japanese #apps #izu #kofu